The Republican file photo by John SuchockiThe University of Massachusetts Amherst campus

AMHERST - While the budget numbers are still in flux, the outlook for the University of Massachusetts budget in fiscal 2012 is “grim and depressing,” the associate vice president for administration and finance told the Board of Trustees Wednesday.

Brian Douglas wanted to show trustees the impact of how various hypothetical fee increases would affect what could be a $61 million systemwide budget gap. The total gap for the Boston, Lowell, Dartmouth and Amherst campuses could be about $87 million, but cuts and other revenue could bring it down to $61 million, he said. The Worcester campus was excluded because it is essentially self-supporting.

Douglas said the numbers come from an anticipated cut of 7 percent in the current budget and a 3 percent increase in inflation. Also, this assumes no additional federal stimulus money will be coming, and funding from the state will be level.

He then wanted to show how various student fee increases could affect the deficit.

“This is not a proposal,” he said.

He said a fee increase of 3 percent would cut the deficit by $16.5 million, an 8.5 percent hike would cut the deficit by $39.4 million. A 14 percent increase would erase the deficit.

The Board of Trustees will not set rates and fees until its June meeting. The new fiscal year begins July 1, and Douglas said there will more budget updates from the governor next month.

“The governor would have concerns about the degree of cost passed on to students,” said S. Paul Reville, the state secretary of education.

A $1,500 fee hike was voted in 2009, but $1,100 was rebated for the first year. This year, students at the Amherst campus are paying the full $1,500 increase.

In-state students at the Amherst campus currently pay $11,732 in tuition and fees - most of that is made up of fees.

Chancellor Robert C. Holub said last month that he expected a cut of $18 million for the fiscal year that starts July 1, 2011, for the campus. That’s a reduction of about 8.4 percent from the $215 million the campus received in the current fiscal year.